Las Vegas Wash Coordination Committee Program Management

The Las Vegas Wash (LVW) carries more than 170 million gallons of water a day. Decades ago, the flows of the LVW created more than 2,000 acres of wetlands. By the 1990's, only about 200 acres of wetlands remained. The dramatic loss of vegetation reduced both the LVW's ability to support wildlife and serve as a natural filer for water that flows to Lake Mead, the source of our community's water supply. In 1997, a citizen's advisory committee made recommendations to manage and protect the LVW. While many area organizations were concerned with the LVW's deterioration state, no single agency was responsible for managing it. To bring these interests together, the LVW Coordination Committee (LVWCC) was formed. The LVWCC includes representatives from more than two dozen local, state and Federal agencies, environmental groups, business owners, and concerned citizens. The committee's goal was two-fold: Develop a long-term management plan for the LVW, and oversee implementation of the plan. The Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) was appointed as the lead agency in effectuating the LVWCC's mission and to meet this goal, the SNWA formed the LVW Project Coordination Team to lead the effort. Within two years, the committee completed the LVW Comprehensive Adaptive Management Plan, a several hundred page roadmap that includes 44 specific action items related to water quality, habitat management, erosion control, and other key LVW issues. The LVWC also created internal study teams and an advisory committee, the Management Advisory Committee, now known as the Lass Vegas Valley Watershed Advisory Committee.